Vital Godliness: A Treatise on
Experimental and Practical Piety
CHAPTER 21
Contentment
“I have learned to be
content in whatever
circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a
lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being
content—whether well-fed or
hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him
who strengthens me,” (Phil. 4:11-13).
“But godliness with
contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we
certainly can’t carry anything out. But having food and clothing, we will be
content with that,” (1 Tim.
6:6-8).
Our libraries abound with treatises on contentment. Some of
them are written with great ability. Nor has there ever been much formal
disputation among writers on morals, respecting the obligation and excellence of
the attainment of this wonderful virtue of contentment. It produces results so
happy, and is enforced by so many urgent reasons, that a man must be
particularly blinded before he can regard discontent as either lawful or
only slightly criminal. The difficulty therefore is not so much in the lack of
good rules and strong reasons for guiding us into a state of contentment—as in
the deep-rooted aversion of our hearts to
a duty which requires our submission to
the will of God. We know better than we do. Seeing the
right—we pursue the wrong. We smile at the folly, or frown at the wickedness of
discontent in others—and then follow their example.
But what is
contentment; and how may it be known from evil states of mind somewhat
resembling it? Contentment is not carelessness or extravagance. It is not
dullness of sensibility. It is the
disposition of mind in which we rest satisfied with the will of God respecting
our temporal affairs, without hard thoughts or hard speeches concerning his
allotments, and without any sinful desire for a change. It submissively
receives what is given. It thankfully enjoys present mercies. It leaves the
future in the hand of unerring wisdom. Nor is there anything in true contentment
to make men satisfied with the present world, as a portion or as a permanent
abode. The most contented person may long for the day when Christ shall call him
home. He may, like Paul, be in a strait between two, not knowing whether to
desire to abide in the flesh for the sake of others, or to depart, and be with
Christ, which is far better. God never required any man to be willing to live
here forever.
Nor is there anything stoical in contentment. It is not
bluntness of feeling. True piety does not make men dream that a prison is a
palace, nor make them reckless of their own happiness. Refined sensibility is
promoted by true religion.
We may form some correct idea of contentment by considering
its opposites. Of these, one of
the most prominent is envy. There
is not a more vile, nor a more violent passion than envy. It is full of deadly
malice. When a man’s heart grows jealous of the superior success of others, and
hates them on that account—he is not far from ruin. Evans says, “Envy is an
infallible mark of discontent. Duty to God, and charity to our neighbor, would
induce us to take pleasure in the welfare of others, whether we immediately
share in its benefits or not.” If your eye is envious towards your neighbor
because God is good to him, it is proof that your real quarrel is with
It is of the greatest importance to our peace and usefulness,
that we settle it in our minds that all
fretting care about the things of this life is both a sin and a folly. It
is to these immoderate cares that our Lord refers when he says, “Take heed to
yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and
drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares,”
(Luke 21:34). See a man eager after the things of time, behold one in great
peril—peril heightened by his success. Our hearts are very deceitful. Jonah may
be too much taken up with his gourd, as well as Solomon with his vast public
works.
Contentment is opposed to
covetousness. “There are
two words in the Greek Testament which may be rendered covetousness. The one
literally signifies the love of money; the other a desire of more, in Ephesians
4:19 rendered greediness. These two senses are co-existent, for no man desires
more of that which he does not love; and as he that loves silver cannot be
satisfied with the silver which he already possesses, he will of course desire
more.
To both of these contentment is the opposite. It does not
inordinately love what it has—nor is greedy for more. So says the Scripture:
“Let your life, your behavior—be without covetousness, and be content with such
things as you have,” (Heb. 13:5). “Having food and clothing, let us be therewith
content,” (1 Tim. 6:8). What a man parched with the thirst of cancer needs, is
not more water, but more health. It is as impossible to remove the restlessness
of a covetous mind by heaping wealth upon it, as to extinguish fire by pouring
oil upon it. It is a great thing to learn that “a man’s life consists not in the
abundance of the things which he possesses,” (Luke 12:15). So that “if a man is
not content in that state he is in, he will not be content in any state he would
be in.”
Evans says, “We see people arriving at one enjoyment after
another, which once seemed the top of their ambition; and yet so far from
contentment, that their desires grow faster than their substance, and they are
as eager to improve a good estate when they are become masters of it, as if they
were still drudging for food and clothing.” “Beware of covetousness.”
Contentment is also the opposite of
Pride.
“Humility is the mother of contentment.”
“Those who realize that they deserve
nothing, will be content with anything.” When we become lifted up with
pride, and think we deserve something good at God’s hands, it is impossible to
satisfy us. But with the humble is wisdom, quietness, gentleness, and
contentment. He who expects nothing, because he deserves nothing—is sure to be
satisfied with the treatment he receives at God’s hands. So that “the little
that a righteous man has, is better than the riches of many wicked;” for “the
wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God.”
The proud man is like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke. He
is turbulent and fiery. He alienates friends; he makes enemies. He has much
trouble and sorrow—where the humble man passes quietly along. Pride and
contentment do not go together. Neither do contentment and unholy ambition at
all agree. “Are you seeking great things for yourself? Seek them not!”
-Our actual needs are not many; but the ambitious create a
thousand desires and demands, which are hard, if not impossible to meet. If men
are bent on gratifying the strong desires of a wicked ambition, it will require
more resources than any mortal possesses to meet the half of them. If a wise man
cannot bring his condition to his desires—he will honestly endeavor to bring his
desires to his condition. But this the ambitious will not do. He will be content
with nothing gained, because each elevation widens his horizon, and gives him a
view of something else which he greatly longs for, and so he is
tossed from vanity to vanity—a
stranger to solid peace. Are you ambitious for the things of this world? then
you are your own tormentor!
Contentment is opposed to
Murmurings
and repinings against God’s providence; and dwells with her
sisters—gratitude, submission and resignation. Like Hezekiah, she exclaims
concerning all God’s orderings, “Good is the word of the Lord,” (Isa. 39:8).
This is a great point. If you can say nothing clearly to the glory of God, it is
wise to be silent and not open your mouth, (Ps. 38:13; 39:2).
Contentment is also opposed to
Distrust
of God, and to despondency respecting the orderings of his providence.
Instead of waiting on the Lord, and relying on him for strength of heart, how
many forebode ill from all that occurs to them, or is anticipated by them. They
have little if any cheerfulness. Their souls are never as
The proper
Fruits
of contentment are many, pleasant, and easily discerned.
1.
Contentment begets Cheerfulness
and Thankfulness of speech.
He who is always singing dirges, and has no songs of praise; he who is
perpetually filling the ear of friendship with his complaints, and has nothing
to say of loving-kindness, is not blessed with true contentment.
Contentment tells a different tale. It does not charge God
foolishly. If it sings of judgment, it sings also of mercy.
2.
True contentment makes men conscientious and exact in piously performing their
Duties to all around them.
They trust in the Lord, and do good. They do good to all
men, especially to the household of faith. If God takes away one friend, they
will endeavor more meekly and assiduously to render all that is due to those who
remain. If God takes half one’s worldly goods, the remaining portion is more
than ever conscientiously employed for his glory. If such cannot do as they
wish, they will do as
3.
The truly contented will not resort to wicked or to doubtful expedients for
relieving their own needs and distresses. They had
rather suffer wrong—than do wrong. To them, poverty is not so bad—as ill-gotten
wealth. They prefer to endure a hard lot—rather than to drive a hard bargain.
Stealing, cheating, wild speculation, or any fraud—is to them worse than
poverty. They go not down to
4.
If the truly contented have been wronged by others in any way—they are not
malignant, but benevolent towards them. They look
upon their enemies as God’s hand and God’s sword, the rod of his anger, the
scourge of his people. Their enemies may be violent and unreasonable, and so
wholly culpable—but the contented Christian does not forget who has said,
“Vengeance is mine; I will repay.”
Everything is committed to God’s unerring wisdom and eternal love.
The
Matters of discontent are chiefly
such as relate to wealth, honor, or pleasure. These
are the objects of both lawful and unlawful care and desire. It is quite
reasonable that we should be contented in regard to each of them.
1.
As to Wealth.
The judgment of the sober, and especially of the wise and godly of all ages,
might reasonably be expected to have some influence over us to check our
discontent on this point. Sages and saints, teachers from earth and teachers
sent from God have united in bearing a solemn testimony against the love of
money, and in favor of contentment with our lot. Hear their words.
Socrates: “Content is natural wealth.” Democritus: “If you do
not desire much, a little will seem to you an abundance.” Horace: “Care and
thirst for more, attend a growing fortune.” Woolstoncraft: “The middle rank
contains most virtue and abilities.” Clarkson: “There is no greater calamity
than that of leaving children an affluent inheritance.” Dymond: “The most
rational, the wisest, the best portion of mankind, belong to the class who
possess neither poverty nor riches.” Wilberforce: “A much looser code of morals
commonly prevails among the rich than in the lower and middling orders of
society.” Lord Bacon: “As baggage is to an army, so are riches to virtue. It
hinders the march, yes, and the care of it sometimes loses or disturbs the
victory.” Hannah More: “It is to be feared that the general tendency of rank,
and especially of riches, is to withdraw the heart from spiritual exercises.”
Mason: “To have a portion in the world is a mercy; but to have the world for a
portion is a misery.” “We must answer for our riches; but our riches cannot
answer for us.” “If the world be our
portion here—hell will be our portion hereafter.” Johnson: “Wealth heaped
on wealth—neither truth nor safety buys, The dangers gather—as the treasures
rise.”
When his vast estates were confiscated for his adherence to
God’s truth, the Marquis of Vico said, “Their gold and silver perish with them,
who count all the wealth of the world worth one hour’s communion with Christ.”
Pollok: “Gold many hunted, sweat and bled for—wasting all the nights, and
laboring all the days. And what was this allurement, do you ask? Some dust dug
from the bowels of the earth—which, being cast into the fire, came out a shining
thing—which fools admired, and called a god—and in devout manner before it
kneeled—and on its altar sacrificed ease, peace, truth, faith, integrity, good
conscience, friends, love, charity, benevolence.”
Bunyan: “Nothing more hinders a soul from coming to Christ
than a vain love of the world; and until a soul is freed from it, it can never
have a true love for God.” Beveridge: “There is one piece of folly which all
mankind are naturally guilty of, and that is desire of riches—whereby men love
and long for fine houses and lands, and silver and gold, and such like things.
Just as we may have sometimes seen an idiot pleasing himself with having his
pocket full of stones or dirt; or rather, as deranged people desire swords or
such like weapons, whereby to destroy themselves. Just so, to others who have
lost their senses and the right use of their reason, nothing will serve them but
a great deal of wealth—however they come by it, and therefore they go through a
thousand temptations and dangers to get it. And when they have got it, what
then? Then they are in a thousand times worse condition than they were before!”
Richard Baxter shows
the malignity of the sin of worldliness, in several particulars.
1.
It is a deliberate and
intentional sin.
2.
It is a sin against our
chief interest.
3.
It is idolatry.
4.
It is contempt of heaven.
Eternal glory is neglected—and a miserable world preferred.
5.
It shows that unbelief
prevails in the heart.
6.
It is a debasing of the
soul of man.
7.
It perverts and debases the
very drift of a man’s life.
8.
It is a perverting of God’s
creatures to an end and use clean contrary to that which they were made and
given for.
John Owen: “Learn to be contented with your lot. Our wise God
gave you exactly what is commensurate for your good. Had He known that a foot’s
breadth more had been needful, you would have had it.” Thomas Scott: “An
inordinate desire for increasing riches, however obtained, is idolatry, and
totally inconsistent with the life of faith.” Arndt: “Riches are like a stream,
which soon flows to a person, and may also soon flow away.” Home: “Of all things
here below, wealth is that on which poor deluded man is chiefly tempted, even to
the loss of life, to place his confidence; and when riches increase, it proves a
hard task for the human heart to keep its affections sufficiently detached from
them.”
Such are the views of some of the wisest poets, philosophers,
statesmen, nobles, and divines, who have warned us of the folly of loving the
world. These men spoke from their natural sense, or were guided by pious
principle; but they were all uninspired. When we open the oracles of God, they
speak in a manner still more clear and solemn.
King David, who had personally tried both humble life and
great wealth, said, “The little that a righteous man has, is better than the
treasures of many wicked.” “If riches increase, do not set your heart upon
them.” Like unto his, is the testimony of his son. Solomon says, “He who is
greedy for gain, troubles his own house.” “Riches do not profit in the day of
wrath.” “He who trusts in his riches shall fall.” “There is that makes himself
rich, yet has nothing: there is that makes himself poor, yet has great riches.”
“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.” “Labor not to be rich:
for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle towards
heaven.” “He who makes haste to be rich shall not be innocent.” Ezekiel says,
“Now this was the iniquity of your sister
John: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the
world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” James:
“Go now, you rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and
silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and
shall eat your flesh as it were fire. You have heaped treasure together for the
last days.” Paul: “those who will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and
into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and
perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some
coveted after, they have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” “Charge
those who are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in
uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to
enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute,
willing to give; laying up for themselves a good foundation against the time to
come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”
But of all the teachers ever sent by God to men, his dear Son
spoke the most fully and clearly respecting riches. Jesus Christ said, “It is
more blessed to give than to receive.” “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon
earth, where moth and rust corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal;
but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your
treasure is, there will your heart be also.” “You cannot serve God and mammon.”
“Seek first the
Thus spoke the Messiah, the one Mediator between God and man.
Shall not we be wiser for all these instructions? The Author of our religion was
the only sinless being ever born of woman. He lived and died in poverty. He
knows, and he has felt, the humiliation of dependence. God has greatly honored
virtuous poverty in every age—as the history of science, of literature,
of philosophy, of poetry, and of piety in every country shows. He takes the poor
from the ash-heap, and sets him among princes. Though poverty is no virtue, yet
most of the striking examples of virtue have been from humble life.
Poverty
brought on by indolence, extravagance or waste is a disgrace, because it is a
punishment! But
Wealth
is the great corrupter of all who have it—who do not have extraordinary
grace.
Only a few of our race live and labor, that they may have the
means of doing good to others. This is scriptural: “The thief must no longer
steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has
something to share with anyone in need.” One of the calmest and profoundest
writers on political economy some years ago said, “I suppose the British and
Foreign Bible Society, during the twenty or thirty years that it has existed,
has done more direct good in the world—has had a greater effect in improving the
condition of the human race—than all the measures which have been directed to
the same ends by all the prime ministers of Europe during a century.” Oh that
men everywhere were moved by that insatiable benevolence which, not contented
with reigning in the dispensation of happiness during the contracted term of
human life, or on the narrow theater of its own vicinage—strains with all the
graspings and reachings of a vivacious mind to extend the dominion of its bounty
beyond the limits of one country or of one generation. Were such the temper of
all men, we would have no need of preaching sermons to check the rapacity, or
moderate the desires, of each succeeding generation, and bring human wishes
within the limits of a holy contentment. People devoted to doing good are
commonly a cheerful and happy class of people.
2.
As to honor, rank, standing in the world, much
needs not be said, to make a wise man more contented with his lot. For what is
more fickle than popular applause? The man whose name is today mingled with
shouts of welcome, is tomorrow met with hisses and hootings. The very crowd that
spread branches in the road, and cried, “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord,” as Jesus entered
It is the habit of popular opinion to shift incessantly. Men
are constant only in fickleness. But even if popular favor was perfectly
settled—what is it but a puff of wind? What good can it do any man? If the
praise of others is undeserved, it is but flattery, and may lure us to
self-conceit and ruin. If the praise is merited and just, we are apt to
know our own virtues soon enough, without having them trumpeted by others.
Besides, the best men that ever lived, have had their names cast out as evil—and
have been far more frequently under the loathing, than under the smile of their
generation. In many cases, they have died amid the execrations of their
contemporaries.
He has the best name who gets the “white stone with a new
name written on it. No one will know that name except the one who is given the
stone.” How often men are warned not to seek the favor of the world. In one of
the great contests in
3.
But many are not content, because they have so few worldly pleasures.
Do they not know that all pleasure but that which springs
from lawful sources, leaves a sting behind? Communion with God has its
pleasures, which do not cloy the appetite. “She who lives in pleasure is dead
while she lives.” It is commonly the case, that the more worldly pleasure—the
less happiness there is. The more pleasure, the more sin also. The more
pleasure, the more dreadful the last account. Bunyan says, “The epicure, who
delights in the dainties of this world, little thinks that these very creatures
will one day witness against him.” The pleasures of sin are but for a season,
and that season so short. The pleasures of the table are often followed by
dreadful forms of disease and anguish. The pleasures of sense are wholly
insufficient to give permanent enjoyment. “The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
nor the ear with hearing.”
Contentment is a most reasonable duty. “Come now, you who
say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year
there and do business and make a profit.”
You don’t even know what tomorrow will
bring—what your life will be! For you are a bit of smoke that appears for
a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we
will live and do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All
such boasting is evil,” (
Wealthier circumstances than you now have, might be your
downfall. More ease might subject you to dreadful infirmities or diseases. Make
not your lot worse by sinful repining! You have not shown wisdom sufficient to
direct any of your own affairs. It is a mercy to us all that “it is not in man
that walks, to direct his steps.” Human
knowledge is ignorance; human prudence folly; human strength weakness; human
virtue a slender reed. God may cross your desires without doing you any
injustice. Your will is the will of a sinner. Sometimes God has tried you by
gratifying your desires for something new, something different. The result has
not generally been favorable. “He gave them a king in his anger, and took him
away in his wrath.” You have often done worse when full, than when empty. “The
Lord’s people grew rich, but rebellious; they were fat and stuffed with food.
They abandoned God their Creator and rejected their mighty savior.” Good
Hezekiah greatly desired life, and God gave him fifteen years more; but in that
time he greatly erred, and left a sad blot on his name. A man may live too long
for his own peace, or honor, or usefulness. Your wishes are not always wise.
A child was sick. His mother was almost frantic. She fasted,
she fainted, she wept, she screamed. God restored her boy to health, and at
manhood he committed felony, was arrested, imprisoned, convicted, executed—and
broke her heart! How much less would she have suffered had he died in childhood!
Your views are liable to be full of
error. But God is fit to govern you—and all things. He knows what is best for
you—how much you can bear—and when a smile or a stroke will do you
most good. His grace is great, and so are his truth, and power, and wisdom. If
he shall direct, all things will go right. He is never deceived nor outwitted.
He is gentle and kind. “He knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.” His
will is holy, just, and good. He keeps mercy for thousands. His faithfulness is
unto all generations. You should be glad that Jehovah governs the universe—and
that he governs you!
If you are wise, you will “trust in the Lord and do good—and
you will be safe;” for he has said, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you.”
What a promise! what a promise! Learn to be content in whatever circumstances
you are in. You are the borrower, not the owner of any blessing. Suppress the
first risings of ambition, covetousness, self-will, restlessness, and the spirit
of murmuring. Rest quietly in God. The
future will bring a full explanation of the present. Treasure up in your
heart the blessed promises of God. Incessantly ask the Lord to increase your
faith. Diligently perform all known duties, especially domestic duties. Be of
good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart. Say not, that God has
forgotten you. Resist all unworthy thoughts of your Savior and heavenly Father.
Be content with your lot, and leave results with him who governs all things
after the counsel of his own will. So shall you walk safely, and your burden
shall be light, and soon the Almighty shall call you to himself, and “the days
of your mourning shall be ended!”
But until that day of joy has arrived, rest in the Lord, and
wait patiently for him, remembering that “we brought nothing into this world,
and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” It was one of the greatest
attainments ever made, when Paul was able to say, “I have learned to be content
in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how
to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being
content—whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able
to do all things through Him who strengthens me,” (Phil. 4:11-13).
Hall says, “If a man would be rich, honorable, or aged, he
should not strive so much to add to his wealth, reputation, or years—as to
detract from his desires. For certainly in these things
he has the most, that desires least.
A poor man who has little and desires no more, is truly richer than the
greatest monarch who thinks he has not what he should have, or what he might yet
have, or who grieves that there is no more to have. It is not necessity, but
carnal ambition—with which men torture themselves.”
There are
Three Considerations which should
quite reconcile us to be without much of what mankind are generally so greedy
after.
The first is, that
God generally gives the great amount of the wealth, honors, and pleasures of
this world to his foes. How seldom do the potentates of earth fear God.
How few very rich men love prayer. The “sons of pleasure” are never the “Sons of
God.” No wise man should care much for that which God habitually bestows on
those who have no share in his saving mercy—and shall never see his face in
peace.
The second consideration is, that
the arts by which these things may be,
and often are gained, are of the basest kind. It requires no virtue to
build up a great fortune, to have many praising you, or to be called a man of
pleasure. One great secret in the lives of many who rise to eminence in these
things is, that first of all they deny God, and give themselves over to
irreligion. They part with a good conscience. They may speak much of honor, but
often there is no honor there. If a man will but agree to flatter and deceive,
lie and defraud, oppress and banter; if he will allow his selfishness to reign
supreme; if he will harden his heart against the demands of justice, the
dictates of equity, and the urgencies of charity; if he will hold fast all he
gets, and get all he can—he may become rich. And if he can once acquire wealth,
there are always some who will sound his praise; and so he may by money and
flattery buy his way to power and notoriety.
It is the deliberate judgment of many close observers, that
the mass of the successful in worldly schemes, are deficient in virtue and
morality. This may seem strange to some, but let every man look over the list of
his acquaintance, and see if it is not so.
The third consideration is, that
nothing can make us happy if our minds
are restless and grasping. Contentment is itself riches, honors, and
pleasures. “The sleep of the laboring man is sweet, whether he eats much or
little; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.” The Persians
have this proverb: “Ten poor men can sleep tranquilly upon a mat; but two kings
are not able to live at peace in a quarter of the world.” And one of our own
poets has said, “Contentment gives a crown—where fortune has denied it.”
“Godliness with contentment is great
gain.”
